Man dressed as Herman Munster raped woman at swingers club in room full of mirrors, court told

A jury heard the woman was “paralysed” as she was allegedly attacked by 45-year-old Jeremy Frazer Newsome Smith, who denies rape

A woman was raped by a man dressed up as Herman Munster at a swingers’ club party, a court heard.

The alleged rape took place at a Halloween fancy dress party in a private-members sex club last October.

A jury heard the woman describe how the defendant raped her, while she was forced to watch in the mirror covered walls of the club.

The court was told she was “paralysed” as she was allegedly attacked by 45-year-old Jeremy Frazer Newsome Smith, who denies rape.

“The defendant was dressed as Herman Munster,” the prosector Charlotte Baines, told a jury, adding: “It was the Frankenstein look.”

The prosecutor said one of the accused’s friends was dressed as boy wizard Harry Potter, and another was in drag as Herman’s wife Lily Munster.

The trio of men had been booked as the cabaret act, at La Chambre in Sheffield, South Yorks., and were paid in drinks.

Ross Parry

Leaving court; Jeremy Smith

Miss Baines said the woman was a member of the club, but never took part in any sexual activity and went there ‘just to socialise’.

Miss Baines, told the court: “It is an establishment that opens its doors to members, who go with a view to watching or participating in sexual activity if they choose to do so.

“It’s clear La Chambre makes no secret of the type of establishment it is. There are rooms upstairs referred to as the ‘playrooms’.

“Those are for individuals who want to engage in sexual activity - activity that takes place between consenting adults.”

Jurors heard that, during the evening, the woman volunteered to take part in games on stage as part of the act, leaving her ‘embarrassed,’

After the show, Smith and his friends are said to have plied the woman and her female friends, with wine, and the court heard the accused said; “let’s go upstairs and laugh at all the people having sex.”

But as they later made their way downstairs, the woman and her friends became separated and Smith took her to the indoor smoking room covered in mirrors, the jury were told.

In the mirrored room it was claimed Smith started to touch her sexually and had sex with her without her consent.

Ross Parry/SWNS

Scene: Le Chambre swingers club in Sheffield

In a video given as evidence in court, the complainant told police: “I just felt as though I was paralysed. I was so scared I didn’t even know what to do. I knew what was going to happen.”

“He started having sex with me. I could see everything that was happening. I tried to look away but the walls were covered in mirrors so I had to watch everything.”

The woman told police how she wanted her friends to come back and find her, which they later did.

She reported an allegation of rape to staff and Smith, formerly of Wakefield but now of London, was thrown out of the club.

The complainant told her friends what had happened and went to a nearby police station.

Smith denies the allegation of rape, saying the two had consensual sex and that she had “been flirting with him throughout the evening”.